Dock line management apparatus

ABSTRACT

A dock line management device is provided. The dock line management device includes a tube which is rotatable about at least one axis and which is hollow for receiving a dock line.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Ser. No. 63/289,198, filedDec. 14, 2021, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to docking a watercraft, andmore specifically to dock lines and apparatus therefor.

A dock line maintains a watercraft such as a boat in place at a dock.When a boater is ready to dock a boat, a dock line must be grabbed andconnected to the boat to keep the boat secured to the dock. Dock linesare often merely lying on a dock or a hook may be used. This is at bestinconvenient, and may result in a dangerous situation because it mayrequire someone from the boat to climb onto a dock without the boatbeing secured.

The embodiments of the present invention allow easier access to a dockline from a boat and provide flexibility of the location of the dockline for different mooring points or for different size boats.

An embodiment of the present invention is a dock line management devicethat includes a rotatable base, an adjustable length tube connected tothe rotatable base, and a strut connected to the tube. The tube includesan outer tube member and an inner tube member. The inner tube member isattached to the outer tube member by a clamp.

Another embodiment of the present invention is a method of using a dockline management apparatus. The method steps include providing a dockline management apparatus that includes a rotatable base, an adjustablelength tube connected to the rotatable base, and a strut connected tothe tube; threading rope through the tube so that it extends from adistal end of the tube; grabbing the rope and moving the rope, therebymoving the tube rotationally and/or vertically; and securing the rope toan object.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dock line management apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the dock line management apparatusof FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the dock line management apparatus of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the dock line management apparatus ofFIG. 1 .

FIG. 5 a is a top plan view of the base of the dock line managementapparatus of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 5 b is a cross sectional view of the base taken along line V-V inFIG. 5 a.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the mounting cleat of the dock linemanagement apparatus of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 7 a is an elevational view of the outer end piece of the dock linemanagement apparatus of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 7 b is a cross sectional view of the outer end piece taken alongline VII-VII in FIG. 7 a.

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of a clamp collar of the dock linemanagement apparatus of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 9 a is an elevational view of the inner end piece of the dock linemanagement apparatus of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 9 b is a cross sectional view of the inner end piece taken alongline IX-IX of FIG. 9 a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1-4 show the general structure of a dock line management apparatus10. The apparatus 10 generally includes a base 12, a strut 14, and atube 16. The base 12 is connected to both the strut 14 and the tube 16,as described in more detail below.

The base 12, shown in detail in FIGS. 5 a and 5 b , includes a mountingplate 18. The mounting plate 18 is preferably made of a rigid metal,such as anodized aluminum. The mounting plate 18 preferably has aplurality of apertures 20 therein. The apertures 20 may be used withfasteners such as screws to mount the apparatus 10 to a dock or otherfixed structure. The mounting plate 18 has a thickness x and further hasa central opening 21 therein. A rotating member 22 is connected to themounting plate 18. The rotating member 22 has a thickness y and ispreferably circular, but may be any desired shape.

A rotating dowel 24 is attached to the rotating member 22, preferably bya bolt 25, and is inserted into the central opening 21 of the mountingplate 18. A washer 27, preferably of brass or other rigid and smoothmaterial, is disposed between the mounting plate 18 and the rotatingmember 22. The rotating dowel 24, along with the washer 27, allow therotating member 22 to smoothly rotate relative to the mounting plate 18.The rotating member 22 further includes a plurality of holes 26 thereinfor mounting other components of the apparatus 10 to the base 12. Thethicknesses x and y are preferably equal to each other, but may bedifferent as long as the apparatus 10 remains stable and the rotatingmember 22 is able to rotate. Such components allow rotation of the tubeabout a substantially vertical axis where the dowel 24 is located andabout a substantially horizontal axis, as discussed in more detailbelow.

The strut 14 is configured to damper the vertical, or substantiallyvertical, movement of the tube 16. The strut 14 may be any usable strut,but preferably includes a gas spring 28. A mounting cleat 30 is attachedto the rotating member 22, by use of the holes 26, or alternatively byanother fixed attachment method such as welding. The mounting cleat 30is U-shaped with a base 31 and generally triangular side walls 32 (seeFIG. 6 ). The mounting cleat 30 is preferably made of a rigid materialsuch as stainless steel. The mounting cleat 30 preferably includes araised flap 34 in which is an aperture 36 for receiving a shoulder bolt.The shoulder bolt is used to attach the gas spring 28 to the mountingcleat 30 via the raised flap 34. Each wall 32 includes a connection hole38 for connection to the tube 16. The strut 14 supports the tube 16 andcontrols the angle at which a dock line 1 is disposed. The strut 14 isin a compressed state when the tube 16 is moved downwardly, and ispreferably made of a resistant, rigid material such as stainless steel.

The tube 16 includes two main components, an outer tube 40 and an innertube 42. The outer tube 40 is a long, hollow cylindrical tube preferablymade of fiberglass. An outer end piece 44 is attached to the proximalend of the outer tube 40, preferably by an adhesive such as an epoxy.The outer end piece is shown in detail in FIGS. 7 a and 7 b . The outerend piece 44 is preferably of a molded plastic and is generallycylindrical in shape. The outer end piece 44 has a hollow interior 46and an opening 47 at the proximal end. The hollow interior 46 is definedby an outer wall 48 which has two sections. A first section 50, locatedat a proximal end of the outer end piece 44, has a larger outer diameterthan a second section 52. The intersection of the first section 50 andthe second section 52 creates a shoulder 54. The shoulder 54 abuts theproximal edge of the outer tube 40. Extending outwardly from the firstsection 50 in the radial direction is an attachment member 56, which isprimarily semi-circular in shape and has a bolt hole 58 therein. Thebolt hole 58 is used to attach the outer end piece 44, by use of a bolt,to the mounting cleat 30 in a pivotable manner using connection holes38. The proximal end of the outer end piece 44 has a filet 60 to preventa dock line from catching and fraying.

As shown in FIGS. 1-4 , a slip collar 64 is connected to the outer tube40. The slip collar 64 is attached to the strut 14 and is movable alonga proximal portion of the outer tube 40 when the tube 16 is being movedvertically. A fixed collar 66 is fixedly attached to the outer tube 40in a position distal that of the slip collar 64. The fixed collar 66 ispreferably made of a resistant material such as aluminum, and is clampedand tightened to the outer tube 40 by a fastener such as a bolt. Thefixed collar 66 is positioned so that the slip collar 64 may only movedistally to a predetermined point along the outer tube 40. This allowsfor adjustability of the dock line management apparatus 10 to apredetermined maximum height.

The inner tube 42 is preferably made of a rigid material such asfiberglass. The inner tube 42 is attached to the outer tube 40 by aclamp collar 70. The clamp collar 70, as shown in FIG. 8 , preferablyhas an inner collar 72 which is attached to the outer tube 40 by anadhesive such as epoxy, an outer collar 74 which is attached to theinner collar 72 such as by threads, and a compression clamp 76 whichcompresses against the inner tube 42 as the inner collar 72 threads ontothe outer collar 74. The clamp collar 70 is preferably made of aresistant material such as aluminum. The clamp collar 70 may result in afixed association between the outer tube 40 and the inner tube 42, ormay allow a telescoping relationship between the outer tube 40 and theinner tube 42 resulting in adjustability of the length of the tube 16.

Also attached to the inner tube 42, at the distal end of the inner tube42, is an inner end piece 80. The inner end piece 80 is shown in detailin FIGS. 9 a and 9 b . The inner end piece 80 is preferably of a moldedplastic, is generally cylindrical in shape, and has a hollow interior82. The inner end piece 80 has an opening 83 at the distal end. Thehollow interior 82 is defined by an outer wall 84 which has twosections. A first section 86, located at a proximal end of the inner endpiece 80, has a smaller outer diameter than a second section 88. Theintersection of the first section 86 and the second section 88 creates ashoulder 90. The shoulder 90 abuts the distal edge of the inner tube 42.The distal end of the inner end piece 80 has a filet 92 to prevent adock line from catching and fraying.

In use, a dock line 1 is threaded through the opening 47 of the outerend piece 44, through the hollow interiors of the outer end piece 44,the outer tube 40, the inner tube 42, the inner end piece 80, and out ofthe opening 83. The length of the tube 16 may be adjusted. When awatercraft is near a dock and the dock line management apparatus 10, auser grabs the dock line 1, the end of which will be dangling from thedistal end of the apparatus 10. The user may pull the dock line 1 in anydirection needed, and the dock line management apparatus 10 will reactaccordingly by moving up or down, or left or right (via rotation), or ina combination of directions. The strut 14 allows a significant load tobe placed on the tube 16 while maintaining a smooth movement of the tube16 vertically.

The dock line management apparatus of the instant invention provides anadjustable and easy-to-use system for securing watercraft to docks. Theapparatus is made of durable parts that make the apparatus long-lasting.

1. A dock line management device comprising: a base having a mount and arotating member, the mount configured to be connected to and stationarywith respect to a fixed structure, and the rotating member beingrotatable with respect to the mount; a tube, having a distal end and ahollow interior disposed to receive a dock line, pivotally connected tothe rotating member, allowing rotation of the tube relative to the mountabout a substantially vertical axis and substantially vertical movementof the distal end of the tube relative to the mount; and a strutconnected to the tube and connected to the base, for dampening thevertical movement of the tube.
 2. The dock line management device ofclaim 1, and further including a mounting cleat for connection of thetube to the base and for connection of the strut to the base.
 3. Thedock line management device of claim 2, wherein the mounting cleat has araised flap with an aperture therein for attachment to the strut.
 4. Thedock line management device of claim 1, wherein the tube has an outertube and an inner tube which are fixedly attached to each other.
 5. Thedock line management device of claim 1, wherein the tube has an outertube and an inner tube which are telescopically connected to each other.6. The dock line management device of claim 1, wherein the base furtherincludes a rotating dowel for connection of the rotating member to themount.
 7. The dock line management device of claim 1, and furtherincluding a slip collar disposed about the tube and movable relativethereto, and connected to the strut.
 8. A dock line management devicecomprising: a base having a mounting plate, a rotating member, and amounting cleat, the mounting plate configured for attachment to a fixedstructure, the rotating member being rotatably connected to the mountingplate, the mounting cleat fixedly attached to the rotating member andhaving a raised flap with an aperture therein; a tube having a distalend, a hollow interior, and an outer tube portion and an inner tubeportion, the outer tube portion and inner tube portion connected to eachother, the tube pivotally attached to the base by connection to themounting cleat; and a strut connected to the tube and connected to thebase via the aperture in the raised flap of the mounting cleat, whereinthe tube is rotatable about a vertical axis and about a horizontal axis,allowing movement based on the direction of a load on a dock line orother structure therein.
 9. The dock line management device of claim 8,and further including a rotating dowel connected to the rotating memberand in engagement with the mounting plate.
 10. The dock line managementdevice of claim 8, wherein the outer tube and the inner tube are fixedlyattached to each other.
 11. The dock line management device of claim 8,and further including a slip collar disposed about the tube and movablerelative thereto, and connected to the strut.